Monday, August 29, 2011

This will be my second year implementing CAFE and my fourth using the D5 Framework. Here are some of my key tips to get you going:

Sign up for the sisters "Tip of the Week." Click here to sign up. It's on the right hand side.

Start small and make it managable.

Introduce "Read to Self" the first week, and practice Stamina

Introduce "Read to Someone" if you want and again practice it

The Sisters maintain that "Read to Someone" is not as important in upper grades as it is in primary. If it's not something you want to implement, then don't!

Introduce "Work on Writing" and practice it

Do these seperate weeks to get comfortable and confident

Even now, I still use "The Daily 5" book when I'm teaching the procedures. I use it as a resource and explain to my students that it's part of my tool kit to teach. Plus, I think it's important that students know that I use books and that I don't have answers to everything.

I don't do "Working With Words" or "Listen to Reading" in Fifth Grade. I do lots of read alouds, and that's what I use as my "Listen to Reading."

If you're comfortable with your management, and want to start implementing CAFE, I suggest following the sisters plan in the appendix of the book. It starts with 10 strategies. It gives you a guide on how/when to implement the strategies. Guess what? Last year, I only did the first 10! I didn't really start hitting CAFE under second semester. Do what's right for you!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

After Reading Donalyn Miller's book The Book Whisperer I decided to do a Reading Log for students to record the books they've read. Their goal is to read 30 books - in Miller's book her sixth graders are asked to read 40. I have two copies on a page, and I print them on a full page "Shipping Label." The students then stick them inside their notebook.

My Reading Pledge

3 poetry anthologies

3 traditional literature

4 realistic fiction

2 historical fiction

2 fantasy

1 science fiction

2 mystery

2 informational

2 biography/autobiography/memoir

9 chapter books (Free choice)

I created a PowerPoint document that explains the genres as "My Reading Pledge." Then, under it I wrote an example citation:

About Me

I am a fifth grader teacher - this is my fourth year teaching fifth grade, and my elventh year teaching. I teach at a fantastic school, Mayflower Mill Elementary School. I am vey lucky that my two children, Evan and Jenna, also go to Mayflower.